June 29, 2016

Highlighted Year: Bob Cifers, 1946

Back/Punter, Detroit
Lions

Age: 26

1st
season in pro football

College: Tennessee

Height: 5’11”Weight: 200

Prelude:

With his
great speed and jumping ability, Cifers excelled in track & field as well
as football in college, where he was a single-wing tailback and also an
excellent punter. He entered the military during World War II and played
service football before joining the Lions, who had chosen him in the second
round of the 1944 NFL draft.

1946 Season Summary

Appeared in all
11 games

[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Punting

Punts – 30 [8]

Yards – 1369 [7]

Average – 45.6
[1]

Punts blocked
– 0

Longest punt
– 73 yards

Rushing

Attempts – 8

Yards – 18

Average gain
– 2.3

TDs – 0

Pass
Receiving

Receptions – 4

Yards – 178

Yards per
catch – 44.5

TDs – 4 [6,
tied with Jack Ferrante, Frank Liebel & Don Currivan]

Passing

Attempts – 6

Completions –
2

Yards – 24

TD passes – 0

Interceptions
– 1

Punt Returns

Returns – 1

Yards – 3

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 4 [19,
tied with seven others]

Points – 24

Lions went 1-10
to finish fifth in the NFL Western Division while ranking at the bottom of the league in fewest
yards generated (2146).

Aftermath:

Cifers was
traded to Pittsburgh as part of the deal for star tailback Bill Dudley. As a
halfback on offense, he rushed for 356 yards in 1947 and 361 in ’48 and as a
punter averaged 41.1 and 39.6 yards, respectively. He spent 1949 with Green Bay,
his last season. Overall, Cifers rushed for 787 yards on 230 carries (3.4
avg.), caught 12 passes for 296 yards, and averaged 41.4 yards on 161 punts. His
61.75-yard average on four punts against the Bears in 1946 remains the NFL single-game
record to date. His older brother Ed also played in the NFL with the Redskins
and Bears.

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Highlighted Years features players who were first-team
All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following
statistical categories: